WASHINGTON — A Maryland man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to tweeting a threat against his alma matter.
On Nov. 15, Alejandro Avelar, 20, of Adelphi admitted to tweeting a threat against High Point High School in Beltsville.
The tweet stated that Avelar would come to the school’s stadium with an AK-47, two pistols and armed with bombs.
Avelar’s attorney Edward Richitelli told NBC Washington that his client meant the tweet as a joke.
“He was in favor of Trump having won the election and all these demonstrators were demonstrating against it,” Richitelli said.
This week, Avelar pleaded guilty to making a threat of mass violence and was sentenced to three years behind bars, all of which was suspended. Avelar also received two years of probation, NBC Washington reports.
The former student was sentenced under a new Maryland law aimed at cracking down on threats of mass violence. The law was drafted by Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks.
